Photo by Taiya Viacrucis

Freshman Jake Renes tosses the ball and prepares to serve to his opponent. Renes competed in a singles match and a doubles match with his partner, Jack Pierson.

On Sept. 26, the varsity boy’s tennis team dominated Mount Micheal, winning the tournament and having multiple medalists for singles and doubles matches. The Wolves have had a thrilling season so far, with many medaling each tournament. One of these front runners is freshman Jake Renes, who has won three consecutive doubles matches with his partner, Jack Pierson.

With a team majority of experienced upperclassmen, having a freshman of Renes’s prowess was a surprising addition to the roster. Although Renes is the youngest on the team, this has not proven to be a challenge in the slightest.

“For a freshman, he [Renes] is an unbelievably good tennis player,” Pierson said. “He strikes with incredible power, hits everything back, and he’s a dream doubles partner.”

Renes and Pierson have swept many doubles matches throughout their season so far. Their tennis coach, Lance Kush, has seen Renes develop since tryouts.

“Jake is a great athlete and can produce some shots on the tennis court that I haven’t seen very often,” Kush said. “He takes coaching very well, which has allowed him to improve since the start of the season.”

Through his strong serve, excellent net play, high agility, and unwavering energy, Renes has proven that underclassmen have what it takes to perform at a high level. Renes is a standout player because of his dedication to the sport, and with the state tennis tournament coming up, Renes and Pierson are gearing up to play their best. 

“The goal is to take it one match at a time and go as deep into the state tournament as possible,” Kush said. “I have confidence in both of them.”